I believe the general idea used to be that one paid more than one's medical expenses while young and healthy, in the knowledge that one would pay less than one's medical expenses when older and sicker. The general idea was that it would balance out for most of us and take care of others who were always sicker.

Of course, many of us paid more when we were younger, only to have the insurance industry switch to an actuarial method somewhere in the middle, so that we paid more when we were young and now we're paying more as we age, too.

You'll have to pardon some of us for thinking that this isn't quite fair. And for thinking that we've already paid the subsidy.